ACROSS OUR COMMUNITIES

January 4, 2013

SALEM - New student orientation and registration will be held at Allegheny Wesleyan College at 2 p.m. on Monday, Jan. 21.

Classes will convene on Tuesday, Jan. 22. If you are interested in taking college classes, contact the Office of the Registrar at 330-337-6403 for information.

Damascus Friends offers basketball leagues

DAMASCUS -Damascus Friends Church is offering basketball leagues. Skill evaluations are set from 9 to 10:15 a.m. Saturday to determine teams for boys and girls in sixth, seventh and eighth grades who are not playing on their school team.

Skill evaluations are also set from 10:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m. Saturday to determine teams for high school boys basketball who are not playing on their school team. Registration forms are available at www.dfcnow.com, 330-537-2581 or the church office.

United Local Boosters will meet

HANOVERTON - The United Athletic Booster Club will meet at 7 p.m. Monday in the high school library.

SALEM Goshen Home Extension members plan to meet for lunch at 11 a.m. Jan. 11 at the Salem Hills Golf and Country Club.

United Local Class of 1967 will meet

HANOVERTON - Classmates (and friends) of the United High School Class of 1967 are invited to breakfast at 8:30 a.m. Saturday at the Salem Hills Golf and Country Club on state Route 45 North.

For more information call 330-222-1739, 330-424-1259 or 330-332-8327.

SHS Class of 1948 will meet Jan. 8

SALEM - The Salem High School Class of 1948 will meet for breakfast at 10 a.m. Jan. 8 at Adele's Place.

SHS Class of 1969 will meet Jan. 13

SALEM - The Salem High School Class of 1969 will meet for lunch at 12:30 p.m. Jan. 13 at BB Rooners.

SHS Class of 1947 will meet for breakfast

SALEM - The Salem High School Class of 1947 will meet for breakfast at 9 a.m. Jan. 17 at the Salem Hills Golf and Country Club. All members and guests are welcome.

Enrollment in search and recovery open

BEAVER COUNTY, Pa. - Enrollment in U.S. Search and Rescue Recovery Academy training for 2013 is now open for candidates. An information and orientation meeting begins at 10 a.m. Jan. 20 at the Wildflower Reserve Nature Center at Raccoon Creek State Park on Route 30, Beaver County, Pa.

Professional volunteers for search, rescue and recovery are always ready to respond 24/7 to provide aid when needed. Achieving the title of SARR tech is no easy task and it takes a very special person to reach the heights of a professional search, rescue, recovery technician.

For more information contact Nancy Vickroy at 330-524-4409 or visit www.ussarr.org.

GED-based classes offered at CCCTC

LISBON - This is the last year to take the current GED exam. Changes start in January 2014 when the exam will be three times the current cost, computer-based, and a generally more difficult exam.

The Columbiana County Career and Technical Center ABLE will accept new students for free GED/Academic Skills Brush-Up classes the week of Jan. 14. Classes are offered in Salem, Columbiana, Lisbon and East Liverpool. For class or registration information call 330-424-9561 Ext. 190.

Salem VFW serving dinner Saturday

SALEM - The public is invited to dinner on Saturday at Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 892, 496 Arch St. The kitchen will be open from 5 to 7:30 p.m. featuring sandwich specials. For information call 330-337-8015.

Pork chop dinner set at Winona Friends

WINONA - The Winona Friends Church on Whinnery Road will hold its monthly dinner from 4 to 7 p.m. Saturday. Baked pork chops, mashed potatoes, vegetables, rolls and beverages will be served. Cost is $8. Carryouts will be available; call 330-222-1551.

SCT holding auditions on Jan. 15-16

SALEM - Salem Community Theatre will hold auditions for the Youth Theatre production of "Willie Wonka Jr." at 5 p.m. Jan. 15 and 16. Director Patricia Fagan and Musical Director Allie Oyster are looking for actors ages 8 to 18 who will sing a prepared song (bring sheet music or background track, accompanist and CD player will be provided), read from the script, interact with other auditioners, and demonstrate basic creative movement ability. Call-backs will be held on Jan. 17, and the first read-through of the script with the selected cast will most likely commence on Jan. 18 with rehearsals starting the next week.

Show dates are Fridays Saturdays and Sunday from March 15-24. Student Outreach performances are tentatively set March 20 and 21. For more information visit www.salemcommunitytheatre.org or call the box office at 330-332-9688.

SCH offering free sibling class

SALEM - Salem Community Hospital's family education program is offering a free sibling class from 10 a.m. to noon Jan. 19 at the hospital.

The sibling class helps prepare children for the arrival of a new infant through discussions on the physical characteristics, behavior and care of newborns. A tour of the hospital's maternity unit is also provided. The class is open to children ages 3 10 who must be accompanied by a parent. To register call 330-337-4989.

Flu season arriving in full force

SALEM - According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the flu season has arrived early in Ohio. "Seasonal influenza is an illness that causes fever, headache, tiredness, cough, sore throat, nasal congestion and body aches," said Lyn Pethtel, BS, SM, RN, CIC, director of quality improvement and infection control at Salem Community Hospital (SCH). "The virus that causes the flu is spread from person to person by droplets that are coughed or sneezed into the air, or by handling items contaminated by an infected person."

With the flu season descending in full force, the SCH staff is asking potential visitors to help protect patients from influenza and other highly contagious illnesses by not visiting the hospital if they are sick.

"Across the nation, the rate of influenza-like illnesses has increased dramatically, judging from the high volumes of patients seeking care at doctors' offices and the increased number of related hospitalizations," said Pethtel. "For example, outpatient clinic visits for influenza-like illnesses rose to 4.2 percent of all visits, which is well above the national baseline of 2.2 percent."

The Ohio Department of Health recently reported that 863 Ohioans have been hospitalized with influenza and influenza-like illnesses this season, compared with just 65 by this time last season.

"Locally, our area is reporting a significant increase in flu and flu-like cases, which are causing fever, respiratory symptoms and diarrhea," said Pethtel. "While most people recover from these symptoms in a few days, hospitalized patients who become infected with these illnesses may develop significant complications."

To help prevent the spread of these conditions to patients, hospital officials are asking anyone who may be infected or feeling sick to avoid visiting hospitalized patients while they are ill. Instead, they are requested to telephone the patient or send an e-card via the hospital's website at www.salemhosp.com. Individuals who feel they must visit a patient can also request a mask as they enter the hospital.

Since the flu is spread by contact, Pethtel urges people to be vigilant about covering their mouths with tissues when they cough and washing their hands frequently or using hand sanitizer.